Hand propelled vehicle



HAND FROPELLED VEH CLE Filed March 114, 1940 gin/u a/wo/a AD CLPH RONNNG Mar. 18, 194i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 14,

. 9 Claims. This invention relates' to improvements in hand propelled vehicles of the type generally known as Wheelbarrows.

Vehicles of this type, embodying a single -forwardly arranged center wheel and side handles supporting the transporting body or receptacle, have had one disadvantage. This lies in the tact that to steer the vehicle toward either side it has been necessary to bodily swing its rear around to angle the wheel in the desired direction. Such maneuvering is sometimes diicult due to lack of space and furthermore requires more than the necessary amount oi work and steps oi the operator using the vehicle.

It is the primary object of my invention there fore to provide means whereby a convenient manipulation oi the handles themselves, without interference with their normal use in supporting and propelling the vehicle, may be used to angle 2n the supporting wheel about an upright steering axis to thus steer the vehicle at its forward end to either side desired. Another object is to provide in a vehicle of this kind a means whereby the wheel, once angled or steered toward either side,

25 will have a tendency to return to a centered or straight ahead position and will retain itself in such position except when positively angled by steering manipulation of the handles.

Still another object is to provide an improved and effective handle construction and mounting to enable the operator to make the necessary steering movements without sluiting his hands on thehandles or at any time losing control over the vehicle.

These and other more detailed and specific hjects will be disclosed in the course of the iollowing specification. reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of aI vehicle constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the adjacent handle being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the forward end portion of the vehicle with the body or receptacle removed.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

This application is a continuation in part from my copending application for patent on a Manually propelled vehicle, Serial No. 209,283 med May 2,1, 193s.

Referring more particularly and by reference dll numerals to the drawing, the vehicle of my in 1940, Serial No. 323,988 (Cl. 280-48) means of clamps 1 set astraddle the members 4 and i and riveted or bolted to the body as indicated at l. Legs or stands 8 are secured to the rearmost clamps on each side member to support the rear oi' the vehicle upon the ground when not in use.

The forward ends of the side members 4 and 5 converge ln the horizontal plane and also as here shown, anddue to the shape oi the body 6, incline upwardly over the forward portions of their length. These forward ends, thus brought into proximity, are received and secured in the tubular sockets III of a bracket or casting member I I whichy thus rigidly joins the side members. Said bracket or casting member I I has a vertically axised bearlng I2 tor .the reception of the steering post or pivot pin Il rigidly extended and upwardly projected from a wheel fork Il in which the supporting wheel I5 is journaled by axle I6. The Vforward and upward extension oi the side members and resulting clearance beneath the casting II enables the wheel and fork to be mounted immediately beneath as shown.

The wheel fork I4 is angularly bent or formed at its upper end Il to thus forwardly dispose the steering post I3 with respect to the axis oi the wheel I5, and said wheel will thus have a castering action as will be evident. The meeting faces o! the casting I I and iork Il designated generally at I8 and I8 respectively. are obliquely and oppositely sloped from radial lines 20 which bisect them and extend transversely with respect to the normal straight ahead line of travel oi the vehlcle and its load being imposed on these races, they will have a cam action such that they will normally seek the condition of engagement shown in Fig. 1 to thereby hold the wheel I5 in position for straight forward or rearward travel. Angling oi the wheel to either side will of course cause a slight upward displacement of the casting Il along the post I3 and suiiicient play is provided for this purpose as will appear.

The castering and self-centering action of the wheel is an important feature of my invention and it will be evident that the wheel, when once angled to either side, will as it is released, and by virtue both of the caster and of the cam action, return itself quickly to straightaway position. I

A pulley or sheave 2i is rigidly secured to an upper end .oi the steering post I3 ln spaced relation to the casting I I and an expansion coil spring 22 is placed over the Vpost between the sheave and casting. This spring permits the necessary play oi the post and at the same time aids in the cened et slieped es .i lor ping, nre pivot ends i' L oneven en elthe Mndle which o eringf i8 be e sie will then eneble return. straight-@mty enel ser@ notion will ice evident therefore .se operator meer eonarenientiy steer the ve f" while eomplete cono :errent glance. -f

rstooo' met suitable mcelii'leftions *t deo such modiilcetions come within time .spirit and scope of the appended cleims. ievirg new therefore fully illustrated end described my inn vention, what l claim to new end desi-re to otect by .lettere Petent is:

i. A henri propelled` vein-ete, comprising o Irerne forwardly supported by leest one wheel interi for steering movements, e peer of snp- V nel propeillrn handles extending retire werolgf from the frame for supporting end propeiling the vehicle end plvotelly connected thereto or up and down swinging movements While supporting end propelling the vehicle, and means operated by swinging movement of the handles for steering the wheel.

2. A hand propelled vehicle comprising e rame supported forwardly by et least one wheel mounted for steering movements about e vertice] axis, a pair of supporting and propelling handles extending rearwardly from the frame for sup porting and propelling the vehicle and pivotally mounted for swinging movements, and means connecting both handles to the wheel and operable by relatively opposite swinging movements thereof while supporting the vehicle for steering the wheel.

3. A hand propelled vehicle comprising a frame supported forwardly by atleast one wheel mounted for steering movements about a. vertical axis, a pair of handles rearwardly extending from the trarne for supporting and propelling the same pesite dn moves-ze t ende -s 'vvlywue tion eteerinM e to o v 1 *n response ewan-i tieeily exis/ed ieee-WL ci steering post our .lied thronen time trentine?, n whe-ei supporting the post movnlole therewith lor adjustments, of handles rearwardly en tending from resnes for supporting end loro peiling the end pivotolly oormectec?. there with up down swinging movements, I remi; innere extended from sind inovelole 'with tee handles, e, cable secured ett its ends to the .firmer-s coiled on intermediete portion A around the post for oscillating the seme en its :nos response to polline motion oi 'the singers es they with the handles, end tice seid nevi g ronnded surfaces for engaging enel pulling nnen the spiele.

Si vpeilen vehicle comprising, e body, onlanside mer-eisers supporting the been, n l ring niemeer secured to orvvelicl ends of the members, e post Journale@ in. the bearing member on @vertical exis, e wheel sur.` porting the steering post and movable therewith ior steering purposes, cable coiled ground the steering post and extended therefrom reamerdly through the tubuler side members, and handles pivotebly mounted et rear ends of the side members for supporting und propelling the vehicle end connected to the ends of the cable for steerlng the wheel in response to movement about their pivots.,

e. A hand propelled vehicle comprising e. body, spaced side members supporting the body and having upwardly inclined and forwardly converging ends beneath the body, e wheel mounted beneath the forward ends of the side members i'or steering movementpgabout a, vertical axis, a, cable connected to the v'ileel and operable to steer the same in response to pulling movement on either end of the cable, and handles connected to rear ends of the side members for lifting and propelllng the vehicle, the said handles being mounted u lm' uw owl down movement and connected to the Flo lol? polling upon the same and steering the lllrlzlool. Y

ll lmml propelled vehicle, oommllng o. body ll olfllllol'todlorwomlly by at leaal one Wheel mountlolv oteel'lng movement about o generally uw lllfm oms, s. wir of handles rearwardly disposed lm ouloportlng om! propelling the hotly, tho oalcl handles being mounted for up and down swinging Vmoverrlents, means lncludlng wflexlbl@ momlaor for steering the Wheel, the sold llemble member hovlng @mls connected to tho luz-mallas, oncl rounded surfaces on the handles for engaging 2mal gj, exertilng endwise lorcos ozn the exlble membor as the handles are moved up and olown.

ADOLPH RUNNING. 

